Spring operated toilet seat mechanism



Oct. 4, 1960 M. MILLER 2,954,565

SPRING OPERATED TOILET SEAT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 17, 1958 INVENTOR.

MUQQA Y 47/4 4 EA? United States Patent 1 SPRING OPERATED TOILET SEAT MECHANISM Murray Miller, Burbury Lane, Great Neck, N.Y.

' Filed Sept. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 761,559

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-251) This invention relates to a spring operated toilet seat mechanism adapted for use in connection with a toilet bowl, and capable of being actuated with the aid of a foot pedal.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the use of hands or cumbersome structural parts for the manipulation of a toilet seat and to provide a foot operated mechanism that is easily actuated in order to bring about the immediate use of toilet facilities.

Still another object is to provide a spring operated toilet seat mechanism which is readily adapted for use in connection with installedtoilet bowls and which is easily operated with ones foot for the convenience of the user.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that is readily available as a packaged unit and is adapted for immediate installation upon existing toilet "bowls.

Another object is to provide a greater degree of controllability and operability in opening and closing a toilet seat through the provision of a spring operated device adapted for use in connection with a toilet seat.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, it was found desirable to provide a mechanism which includes a foot pedal mounted upon a frame which also supports a rod, a locking member, a lever, and a link connecting the toilet seat with the lever, the lever being shiftable and engageable with the locking member. A user who desires to raise the toilet seat completely from the toilet bowl will depress the foot pedal forwardly. Such movement will cause the link to raise the toilet seat and will cause the lever to engage the locking member, thereby maintaining the toilet bowl open. On the other hand, if the user desires to lower the seat upon the toilet bowl, the user will depress the foot pedal in the opposite direction and such movement will shift the rod against the locking member, thereby disengaging the lever and causing the toilet seat to be lowered upon the toilet bowl.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

[Figure l is a side view of a toilet seat, showing the spring operated mechanism.

Figure 2 is a front view of the toilet seat and its operating mechanism.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section of the mechanism taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the mechanism taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l.

The spring operated mechanism shown in the drawings is attached to a toilet seat 12, and includes a frame 14 which is attached to the floor 15 by any suitable means such as bolts 16. A foot pedal 17 having a front portion 17a and a rear portion 17b is mounted intermediate 2,954,565 Patented Oct. 4, 1960 its ends upon a pivot fulcrum 21 which is carried by the frame 14. The frame 14 also carries a pivot fulcrum 22 upon which a lever 20 is mounted intermediate its ends. While the front portion 17:: of the foot pedal 17 and the lever 20 are separated from each other and are pivotally secured upon separate pivot fulcrums 21 and 22, respectively, their adjacent end surfaces overlap each other. A slotted retracting plate 29 is located below the rear portion 17b of the foot pedal 17 and is firmly connected with the pedal.

A locking member 18 is swingably mounted upon a pivot 23 carried by the frame 14 and has a notch 25.

A rod 19 extends through an opening provided in a flange 30 which is firmly connected to the frame 14 and extends at right angles thereto. Thus the rod 19 is parallel to the frame 14 and is reciprocable in its longitudinal direction. Both ends of the rod 19 are provided with screw threads. One end extends with play, through an opening provided in the locking member 18 and carries adjustable nuts 33 serving as a stop engaging the locking member 13. The other end of the rod 19- extends through the slot of the retracting plate-29 which is firm- 1y joined to the pedal portion 17b. This otherend of the rod 19 carries nuts 32. A spring 31 is connected to the locking member 18 and the flange 30 0f the frame 14. Thus the spring 31 causes the locking member 18 to press against the nuts 33 carried by the rod 19a11d thereby tends to press the nuts 32-against the slotted plate 29. t

Furthermore, the frame 14 may have another flange 36 extending at right angles to the main portion of the frame and provided with an adjustable stop screw 37, to limit the backward movement of the locking member 18 whenever the rod 19 is shifted backwardly by the rear portion 17b of the foot pedal 17.

A link 24 has one end connected to the lever 20 by a pin 26 and another end pivotally connected to a bracket 27 which is bolted to the toilet seat 12 by any suitable means such as bolts 28.

The lever 20 carries a finger 38 which is so located that it can engage in the notch 25 of the locking member 18 after sliding over the edge of the locking member 18. The lever 29 is also connected to a spring 39 the other end of which is connected to the frame 14. The spring 39 tends to maintain the lever 20 in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1.

The operation of the described device is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the user desires to raise the seat cover 12 from the bowl. Then the user will press downwardly with his foot the front portion 17a of the foot pedal 17. The foot pedal will swing the lever 20, thereby moving upwardly the link 24 and the cover 12 connected therewith, until they assume the position shown by broken lines in Figure 1. At the same time the finger 38 will slide along the edge of the looking member 18 and will move into the notch 25. Due to this arrangement, the lever 20, the link 24 and the cover 12 will remain in the raised position despite the action of the spring 39.

Should the user desire to lower the seat cover 12 to the bowl, he will depress with his foot the rear portion 17b of the pedal 17. Then the slotted plate 29 will strike the nut 32 and shift the rod 19 forward, so that the nut 33 will swing the locking member 18. This movement will disengage the finger 38 from the notch 25 and the compression spring 39 will pull the lever 20, thereby causing the link 24 to move downwardly and thus bring about the lowering of the toilet seat 12. The rod 19 will thereafter return to its starting position due to the provision of the spring 31 which will press the locking member 18 against the nut 33 carried by the rod 19.

The adjustability of the nuts 32 and 33, as well as of the stop screw 37, will enable the user to take up any slack that may occur through continued use or repair of the device.

Some of the most salient features of the device of the present invention are-its adaptability and ease with which the device may be adapted to presently existing toilet bowls, plumbing equipment and the like, without undergoing major expense. 7

Another advantage of the device of the present invention is the economy of replacement and maintenance, as well as ease of operation.

The invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and many changes or modifications may be made therein Within the scope of'the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for raising and lowering a toilet seat,

said mechanism comprising a frame, a pedal swingably V mounted intermediate its ends in said frame, said pedal being swingable from a raised position to a lowered position and vice versa, a link connected with said toilet seat, a lever mounted intermediate its ends in said frame and having one end pivotally connected with said link and another end located in the path of movement of said swingable pedal,ga spring connected with said lever and said frame for maintaining said lever in said lowered position, a locking member having formed therein a notch and pivotally mounted in said frame, a finger carried by said M 4 7' I said frame, whereby said finger is maintained in said notch to lock said lever in said raised position.

2. A mechanism for raising and lowering a toilet seat, said mechanism comprising a frame, a pedal swingably mounted intermediate its ends in said frame, said pedalbeing swingable from a raised position to a lowered position and vice versa, a link connected with said toilet seat, a lever mounted intermediate its ends in said frame and having one end pivotally connected with said link and another end located in the path of movement of said swingable pedal, a spring connected with said lever and said frame for maintaining said lever in said lowered position, a locking member having formed therein a notch and pivotally mounted in said frame, a finger carried by said lever, a reciprocable rod having two threaded ends, a flange connected with said frame and having formed therein an opening for guiding said rod, a nut carried by one end of said rod for engaging said locking member, a nut carried by the other end of said rod, a slotted plate, carried by said pedal and engaging thesecond-mentioned nut in said raised position, a spring connecting said lock- .ing member with said frame, whereby said finger is maintained in said notch to'lock said lever in said raised position, and a stop member carried by said frame for limiting the swinging movement of said locking member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,254,255 Mavrakis Jan. 28, 1918 1,287,113 Sager Dec. 10, 1918 1,614,289 Dominguez Jan. 11, 1927 1,877,083 "Thrasher Sept. 13, 1932 2,034,279

Beede Mar. 17,1936 

